The Tortoise and Hare - ⒸPIRELLI

This fantastic film produced by Pirelli using an e-type (XKE) Jaguar to demonstrate their range of Cinturato Tyres. By the time this film was made the Pirelli Cinturato range had already been available for over a decade.
Pirelli’s Cinturato range of tyres dramatically changed people’s perception of how good tyres could be. They improved the handling of cars like an e-type Jaguar, when fitted with these progressive sports car tires. The Cinturato became the bench mark tyre and not only was it original equipment for Ferrari, Maserati, MG, Alfa Romeo, Lotus, Lamborghini, etc; but if you asked manufacturers like Jaguar and Aston Martin to fit radial tyres to your car, they would fit Pirelli Cinturato. Today for cars of the ‘50s, ‘60s, ‘70s & ‘80s the Pirelli Cinturato is the perfect classic tire. The Cinturato CA67 came out in 1952, followed by the CN72 of 1964, they then ventured into low profile tyres in 1969 with the CN36, then the CN12 in 1971.

Classic PIRELLI CINTURATO ™

The tyre PIRELLI CINTURATO ™ was invented in the 1950's. Juan Manuel Fangio called the tyre PIRELLI CINTURATO ™ Extraordinary. The 5 Times Formula 1 world champion was impressed by its absolute driving precision: which was unthinkable in those days where cross-ply tyres were commonplace. More rigid than cross-ply tyres, the CINTURATO ™ was the first tyre with a radial structure which wrapped around the carcass like a belt.

The result was a markedly sporting product, which was to make history. By the end of 1968 PIRELLI was exporting, or directly manufacturing, CINTURATO ™ tyre in as many as 137 countries worldwide.The PIRELLI CINTURATO ™ tyre had excellent grip and speed capabilities. It's no surprise that PIRELLI CINTURATO ™ tyre was original equipment on many of the great Italian cars of the 50's, 60's and 70's.

Lamborghini, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, and Maserati and many International manufacturers like MGB, Rover and Lotus fitted the ground braking PIRELLI CINTURATO ™ tyres. A small range of PIRELLI CINTURATO ™ tyres are available from Longstone Classic tyres and a few select international distributors, or you can buy PIRELLI CINTURATO ™ tyres direct on line, e-mail Longstone Tyres or telephone + 44 1302 714 072 PIRELLI CINTURATO ™ tyres are offered with an international delivery service (which is free to the majority of destinations worldwide).

Importantly for today's Classic car user, the PIRELLI CINTURATO ™ tyre is a genuine period classic tyre. As well as being original fitment on MGB, Ferrari 250GT and Alfa Duetto, PIRELLI CINTURATO ™ are also a period radial tyre alternative for cars such as '50s and '60s Jaguars, Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 1 and all the DB Aston Martins. These cars left the factory fitted with cross ply tyres and in many cases benefit from a period radial tyre such as PIRELLI CINTURATO ™ on today's modern roads. Today we tend to find ourselves cruising on dual carriage ways at over 50 mph (80kph) and crossply tyres tend to wander. Fitting a PIRELLI CINTURATO ™ will dramatically diminish the wandering without making the steering much heavier as a more modern radial tyre would. As well as looking fantastic the PIRELLI CINTURATO ™ tyre will make your classic car handle superbly.

CINTURATO ™ tyres

The PIRELLI CINTURATO ™ tyre, first introduced in 1952, was the first example of a textile cord braced radial tyre. The PIRELLI CINTURATO ™ tyre became the radial tyre in European motorsport and the tyre of choice for road cars.
The PIRELLI CINTURATO ™ tyre had excellent grip and speed capabilities. It's no surprise that PIRELLI CINTURATO ™ tyre was original equipment on lots of the great Italian cars of the '50s, '60s and '70s, including Lamborghini, Ferrari, and Maserati.